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On the date

Saturday, November 13, 1920

From the day

Perspective: The Teenager · Tactile

The rough wool of my breeches chafes against my shins as I sprawl on the rug, obsessively grooming the stiff yarn hair of my new Raggedy Andy. Pa’s heavy thumb smudges the newsprint of the morning paper, grumbling that "M'ADOO IS DRAWN INTO SHIP INQUIRY AS MORSE LAWYER" and shouting about ex-convicts and embezzled graft, but it all sounds like a load of applesauce to me. I’d rather tune the radio to hear "Whispering" while I dream of trading these itchy knickers for a smooth silk suit. If the old man doesn't stop his hollering, I might just have to bump off his mood with a glass of Ma’s hidden giggle water.

Memories from that day

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The Headlines

M'ADOO IS DRAWN INTO SHIP INQUIRY AS MORSE LAWYER; Witness Says Former Secretary's Appearance Caused Claim Department to Protest."GOT TOO MANY ADVANCES"John T. Meehan Also Tells of Payments to Shipping Board Auditor by Morse Company.EX-CONVICT WAS EMPLOYEDMany Cases of Embezzlement, PettyGraft and Attempted Swindles Are Revealed. Testimony Teems With Graft. Asked About Political Influence. M'ADOO IS DRAWN INTO SHIP INQUIRY Ex-Convict Enters Records. Get Salary for Doing Nothing. Petty Graft Hard to Eradicate. Letter From J.F. Logan.

Read in The New York Times →

Best-selling Sheet Music

Whispering

John Schonberger

The must-have

Raggedy Andy

Slang

Slang of the decade

General

applesaucebaloneycheaterscrush

Flapper

bee's kneescat's pajamasgiggle watershebahotsy-totsy

Gangster

big cheesebump offstool pigeongatfall guy

Catchphrases of 1920

  • Return to normalcy

Tech Check

Commercial Radio Stations (KDKA), Hair Dryer & Band-Aid.

Style of 1920

Silhouette: Straight and drop-waisted (Flapper)

Material: Beaded silk and rayon

  • Bobbed hair
  • Cloche hats
  • T-strap heels

Cost of Living (1920)

Loaf of Bread

$0.11

Gallon of Gas

$0.30

Average Home

$6,296

New Car

$575

Meanwhile

  • Post-WWI RecessionSevere deflation and collapse of agricultural prices.

Time Elapsed

38,555 days ago

(105 years, 230 days)